Combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve

• US 8,312,889 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2010
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tank Holding Corp.
• Original Assignee: Snyder Industries, Inc. (Tank Holding Corp.)
• Inventors: Oltman, Darrell A., Thomas, Larry D., O'Connell, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US12/795,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20100326531A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 137/614.2, 137/613, 137/1, 137/533.11, 137/519.5, 137/590, 137/592, 251/144
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/04 shaped as balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/1848 Check valves combined with valves having a rotating tap or cock
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 27/067 with spherical plugs
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 5/0605 with particular plug arrangements, e.g. particular shape or built-in means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7869 Biased open
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7873 Ball valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7876 With external means for opposing bias
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7904 Reciprocating valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/791 Ball valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86348 Tank with internally extending flow guide, pipe or conduit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/88054 Direct response normally closed valve limits direction of flow

Abstract

A combination flow control and reverse flow check valve provides a compact valve unit for controlling the flow of fluid in a downstream direction and limiting undesired backflow of liquid into a source such as a reservoir. The flow control and reverse flow check valve may be provided as a unitary member having a housing with an upstream end configured for mounting to the liquid source, a fluid conveying channel within the housing, and a check element positioned in the channel between the flow control valve, such as a ball valve, and a seat which is complementally configured with the check element to normally seal against backflow. A blocking element may be provided to prevent interference of the check element with the operation of the flow control valve while permitting liquid to flow in an intended downstream direction. Because the occurrence of a backflow event is an undesired and infrequent event which may necessitate investigation, the check element may be sized and made of a material which will move past the seat during pressurized flow, thereby providing an indicator that a backflow event has occurred when the check element is found within the source.

Claims

1. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve comprising:

a housing defining a central, fluid conveying channel therethrough, said housing including a substantially circular seat having a first diameter located proximate a desired upstream end of the housing, a tubular extension and an addition including a tubular neck received within said tubular extension, said tubular neck including a pair of diametrically opposed and aligned holes, and further including a blocking element received in said holes of said tubular neck, said blocking element extending transversely across said channel and retained against transverse movement by said tubular extension;

a shiftable valve element positioned within the housing for controlling the flow of liquid through the channel; and

a substantially spherical check element having a second diameter which is greater than said first diameter positioned within the housing in an upstream position relative to the shiftable valve element in regard to the desired direction of flow for inhibiting backflow of liquid through the channel,

wherein said channel has a chamber having a third diameter, said third diameter being greater than said second diameter.

2. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said blocking element is positioned in the channel for preventing excess downstream movement of the check element toward the shiftable valve element.

3. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said channel extends longitudinally along an axis from a desired upstream opening end to a desired downstream outlet end, and wherein said blocking element comprises an elongated member extending substantially across said channel in an orientation transverse to the longitudinal axis of the channel, and wherein said blocking element is configured and arranged to permit substantially uninterrupted flow of fluid therepast.

4. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve as set forth in claim 3, wherein said blocking element is removably received in said holes.

5. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said channel includes a remainder positioned in a desired direction of flow downstream from said chamber, said remainder having a fourth diameter which is less than said third diameter.

6. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing is substantially unitary.

7. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of said check element and said seat is of a sufficiently resilient material and said first diameter is sufficiently similar to said second diameter such that the check element is retained by said seat within said housing during normal flow of fluid through the valve in the absence of pressurization within the housing but escapes past the seat when pressurization occurs in said housing causing reverse flow of fluid in an upstream direction.

8. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve as set forth in claim 7, wherein said check element has a specific gravity less than 1.

9. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve as set forth in claim 7, wherein said seat includes a circumscribing groove and a sealing element of resilient material received in said groove.

10. A combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fluid conveying channel has a longitudinal axis and said circular seat has a face which is angled between 25°

and 35°

relative to said axis.

11. An addition for mounting to a flow control valve having a housing adapted for conveying fluid therethrough and mounting a shiftable valve element for controlling the flow of fluid through the valve, said addition comprising:

a tubular body including an external surface having a circumscribing rim and at least one circumscribing slot, said body further having a fluid conveying channel of a first diameter, a pair of diametrically opposed and aligned holes in said tubular body adjacent a normally downstream end of the tubular body, and a seat axially spaced from the holes at a normally upstream end of the body, said seat having a second diameter which is substantially less than said first diameter;

a substantially spherical check element received in said tubular body for shiftable movement along said channel, said check element having a third diameter which is less than said first diameter and greater than said second diameter; and

a blocking element received in said holes and extending diametrically across said channel, said blocking element being sized complemental to said channel of said tubular body for preventing downstream movement of said check element past said blocking element.

12. An addition as set forth in claim 11, wherein said external surface includes a neck having said abutting shoulder which includes said circumscribing rib and said at least one circumscribing slot, said external surface further including a shoulder which extends radially from said neck a greater radial distance than said circumscribing rib.

13. An addition as set forth in claim 11, wherein said seat includes a circumscribing groove and a resilient O-ring received in said groove.

14. An addition as set forth in claim 11, wherein said channel has a central, longitudinally extending axis, and wherein said seat includes a face which is angled between about 25°

and 35°

relative to said axis.

15. In a reservoir for holding fluids having a tubulation extending therefrom adapted to discharge fluid therefrom, the reservoir comprising a combination flow control valve and reverse flow check valve mounted to said tubulation, said combination flow control and reverse flow check valve including:

a housing having an axially extending fluid conveying channel therein, said housing having a first desired upstream end fluidically coupled to said tubulation and a second desired downstream end, said housing including a substantially circular seat having a first diameter located proximate the first desired upstream end of the housing, a tubular extension and an addition including a tubular neck received within said tubular extension, said tubular neck including a pair of diametrically opposed and aligned holes, and further including a blocking element received in said holes of said tubular neck, said blocking element extending transversely across said channel and retained against transverse movement by said tubular extension;

a shiftable valve element positioned within the housing for controlling the flow of liquid through the channel; and

a substantially spherical check element having a second diameter which is greater than said first diameter positioned within the housing in an upstream position relative to the shiftable valve element in regard to the desired direction of flow for inhibiting backflow of liquid through the channel from the desired downstream end toward and into the tubulation,

wherein said channel has a chamber having a third diameter, said third diameter being greater than said second diameter.

16. A reservoir as set forth in claim 15, wherein said blocking element is received within the housing and positioned in the channel for preventing excessive downstream movement of the check element toward the shiftable valve element.

17. A reservoir as set forth in claim 16, wherein said channel extends longitudinally along an axis from said first desired upstream opening end to said second desired downstream end, and wherein said blocking element comprises an elongated member extending substantially across said channel in an orientation transverse to the longitudinal axis of the channel, and wherein said blocking element is configured and arranged to permit substantially uninterrupted flow of fluid therepast.

18. A reservoir as set forth in claim 17, wherein said blocking element is removably received in said holes.

19. A reservoir as set forth in claim 15, wherein said channel includes a remainder positioned in a desired direction of flow downstream from said chamber, said remainder having a fourth diameter which is less than said third diameter.

20. A reservoir as set forth in claim 15, wherein said housing is substantially unitary.

21. A reservoir as set forth in claim 15, wherein at least one of said check element and said seat is of a sufficiently resilient material and said first diameter is sufficiently similar to said second diameter such that the check element is retained by said seat within said housing during normal flow of fluid through the valve in the absence of pressurization within the housing but escapes past the seat when pressurization occurs in said housing causing reverse flow of fluid in an upstream direction.

22. A reservoir as set forth in claim 21, wherein said check element has a specific gravity less than 1.

23. A reservoir as set forth in claim 21, wherein said seat includes a circumscribing groove and a sealing element of resilient material received in said groove.

24. A reservoir as set forth in claim 15, wherein said fluid conveying channel has a longitudinal axis and wherein said seat has a face which is angled between 25°

and 35°

relative to said axis.

25. A method of detecting the occurrence of a backflow event into a reservoir comprising the steps of:

providing a reservoir including a quantity of liquid, the reservoir having a check valve mounted thereto, the check valve including a housing fluidically connected to said reservoir and a substantially circular seat having a first diameter, and a substantially spherical check element having a second diameter greater than said seat, said check element having a specific gravity less than 1 and being normally positioned with said seat being between said check element and the liquid in the reservoir;

causing the check element to move past the seat and into the liquid within the reservoir upon the occurrence of a backflow event, whereby the check element may be observed floating at the surface of the liquid within the reservoir.